Housing for cigarette dispenser



June 11, 1968 w. BEHA 3,387,904

HOUSING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed April 11, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor WA LTE R BE HA BY WM ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 w. YBEHA} 3,387,904

HOUSING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed April 11, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor WALTER BEHA BY MW "7 ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 w. BEHA 3,387,904

HOUSING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed April 11. 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lll' Fig.5

Inventor WA L TE R BE HA June 11, 1968 w. BEHA 3,387,904

HOUSING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed April 11, 1967 v v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor WA LTER BEHA ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 v w. BEHA 3,387,904

HOUSING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER I Filed April 11, 1967 v s Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor WA LTE R BEHA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,387,904 HOUiING FOR CIGARETTE DISPENSER Waiter Reina, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, assignor to Schoeiler & Co. Eiektrotechnische Fabrik, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Apr. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 630,014

Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 21, 1966,

Sch 38,856

10 Claims. (Ci. 312245) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A housing for a cigarette dispenser, more particularly for installing in automotive vehicles, having two hingeably mounted housing sections, of which one has a U-shaped metal frame with guide bars and stop devices to receive a cigarette dispenser insert, shanks of the section projecting into the other housing section, and catches for locking both sections in a closed state.

Prior application Priority Germany, Sch 38,856, dated Apr. 21, 1966.

The resent invention concerns a housing for a cigarette dispenser.

Cigarette dispensers are automatic devices from which lighted cigarettes may be removed on actuating a mechanism so that the user need not light the cigarette himself. Such cigarette dispensers have been developed for use in automotive vehicles, to save the driver from having to remove a cigarette from a packet and light it himself, since he would have his attention diverted from the traffic by these manipulations, which could lead to accidents.

Positions in automotive vehicles for mounting such cigarette dispensers vary due to the many types of automotive vehicles in existence, so that on designing the L insert to be each pulled out for replenishing with new a supply of cigarettes; the insert is also adapted to be removed for carrying out repairs and cleaning without much expenditure of effort and time. A further aspect of the housing in accordance with the invention is that the cigarette dispenser insert may be inserted invertable in the housing, in order that the housing may be fixed either for example on the propeller shaft casing of the automotive vehicle of below the dashboard, using one and the same mounting socket. To solve this problem it is proposed in accordance with the invention to use two housing sections adapted to be hinged open, one of which is inserted in a U-shaped metal frame with guide rails and engaging devices for the cigarette dispenser insert, the shanks of which project into the other housing section, and support catches for locking both sections in a closed state. This configuration permits the housing in accordance with the invention to be installed in different positions in an automotive vehicle without the necessity of several types of mounting being involved, which facilitates installation and reduces the cost of storage.

To permit the cigarette dispenser to be inserted, i.e., turned through 180, in the housing it is expedient for "ice guide bars for the insertion of the cigarette dispenser to be arranged at the centre of the housing.

In a further development of the invention the engaging devices for the cigarette dispenser insert are pivotally mounted, and spring assisted claws are mounted in apertures of the shank of the metal frame, which claws engage in recesses formed in the hollow guide bars on the cigarette dispenser insert. The said hollow guide bars may be U-shaped, with their shanks engaging around guide bars of rectangular cross-section on the housing. The hollow guide bars may have recesses for the engagement of the claws of the engaging devices. On the rear end of the U-shaped metal frame are rivets for the hinge tracks secured to the housing sections, which are adapted to be hinged open. Flat springs may be fastened under the rivet heads to produce the necessary friction for 10- cating the hinge tracks.

The housing section supporting the U-shaped metal frame may have an angularly adjustable mounting socket attached thereto for installation in an automotive vehicle, and may be secured to the metal frame. The mounting socket preferably comprises two interengaging parts mounted so as to be pivotal relative to one another, with slots for securing screws formed therein.

The face plate of the housing may be attached to the cigarette dispenser insert and have two lateral jaws adapted to be inserted in cut-outs of both housing sections. The material for the housing sections is preferably plastics.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the housing with cigarette dispenser insert projecting therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the housing with the cigarette dispenser insert removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the housing with the cigarette dispenser in place, one of the housing sections being hinged upwards;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the face plate secured to the cigarette dispenser insert;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mounting socket;

FIGS. 6 to are side views of the various ways of mounting the cigarette dispenser.

From the drawings it will be seen that a housing 1 for cigarette dispenser insert 2 comprises two housing sections 3 and 4, the housing section 4 being carried by a mounting socket 5. Inserted in the housing section 4 is a U-shaped metal frame 6 having two shanks 7 and '8 which project into the housing section 3. On the rear end of the shanks 7 and 8 are rivets 9 and 10 for hinge bases 11 and 12 secured to the housing section 3. Below the heads of the rivets 9 and 10' are flat springs, which provide the friction required for locating the hinge tracks 11 and 12. Catches 13 and 14 serve to lock the two housing sections 3 and 4 in the closed state. inwardly turned projections 15 on the housing section 3 engage in recesses 16 of both shanks 7 and 8 and are locked by the closed catches 13 and 14. To prevent the cigarette dispenser insert 2 from slipping out of the housing 1 a stop device 18 is provided on each shank 7 and 8 of the metal frame 6. This stop device 18 (FIG. 3) comprises a claw 20 pivotaliy mounted on the pin 19, which claw is mounted in a cut-out 21 formed in each shank 7 and 8 and retained in its stop position by a spring 22.

In the housing two guide bars 25 and 26 (FIG. 2) of rectangular cross-section are mounted, over which the two U-shaped bars 27 (FIG. 1) secured to the insert 2 are slid. At the rear end of these U-shaped bars 27 there are recesses for engaging the claws 20, so that the insert 2 may be pulled out up to the stops of the claws for re plenishing the reservoir with cigarettes. The claws 20 may be pivoted by hand away from the face of the housing, after which the insert 2 may be completely removed from the housing.

The mounting socket 5 is connected by means of screws 52 (FIG. 5) with the metal frame 6 and comprises two angularly adjustable members 50 and 51 (FIG. 6). In the member 50 slots 31 are formed for the screws to secure the socket 5, for example, on the dashboard 32. The pivotal axis for the members 50 and 51 is designated 33 and screws 35 are provided in the various tapped holes 34 for adjustment of the socket inclination.

The face plate 36 (FIG. 1) is secured to the insert 2 and has two jaws 37 which are inserted in notches 38 and 39 of the housing sections 3 and 4. To permit a good finger grip on the jaws 37 when pulling the insert 2 out, round or oval depressions 40 are provided or the jaws fluted for this purpose.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the face plate 36 which has a depression 41. A pressure bar 42 for actuating the cigarette dispenser is located in the depression 41. The lighted cigarette is removed from the delivery opening 43. Below the delivery opening 43 there is a removal guide 44 which is designed to permit the cigarette protruding from the delivery opening to be removed more easily. An emergency disengaging knob 45 is arranged in the depression by means of which the mechanism of the cigarette dispenser can be released in the event of a breakdown. The protruding part of the face plate has slots 46 formed therein for the passage of smoke and a window for a pilot light which lights up during the igniting procedure.

When the insert 2 has been pulled out slightly, both the catches 13 and 14 and the claws 20 are actuated, so that the housing section 3 hinges open, or the insert 2 may be completely pulled out.

The mounting sockets 5 may be secured on the housing 1 in the positions shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, or reversed through 180" in the positions shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Alternatively the plates 5 may be completely omitted as shown in FIG. 10. Since the two socket members 50 and 51 permit different angular positions, a plurality of mounting positions results, so as to permit the housing to be mounted at any suitable position in the automotive vehicle. The arrangement of guide bars 25 and 26 on the central plane of the housing permits the insert 2 to be inserted, inverted or turned through 180 in the housing 1, so that the latter may either be placed in position as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, or suspended as shown in FIGS. 6 to 10. If the housing 1 is secured in a position as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, as on the propeller shaft cover, then the catches 13 and 14 remain open, so that to fill the cigarette dispenser insert it is necessary only for the housing section 3 to be hinged open, as shown in FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. For a cigarette dispenser insert, more particularly for installing in automotive vehicles, a housing comprising two housing sections, a hinge between said sections, a U-shaped metal frame with solid guide bars and stop devices adapted to receive said cigarette dispenser insert on one section, shanks of said one section projecting into the other housing section, and catches for locking both sections together in a closed state.

2. A housing as recited in claim 1, in which said guide bars for the cigarette dispenser insert are arranged on the centre plane of said housing section so that said insert may be placed either erect or inverted in said housing.

3. A housing as recited in claim 1, in which said catch devices for said cigarette dispenser insert comprises r0- tatably mounted and spring urged claws mounted in apertures of said shanks of said metal frame, said claws being adapted to engage in depressions in hollow guide bars on said insert.

4. A housing as recited in claim 1, in which said solid guide bars have a rectangular cross-section, and define recesses at their ends nearest said hinge.

5. A housing as recited in claim 1, in which on the rear end of said U-shaped metal frame, rivets are mounted for securing said hinge to one part of said housing section.

6. A housing as recited in claim 5, with fiat spring beneath the heads of said rivets, to provide frictional engagement between said hinged parts.

7. A housing as recited in claim 4, with an angularly adjustable mounting socket mounted on said housing section supporting said U-shaped metal frame.

8. A housing as recited in claim 7, in which said mounting socket comprises two interengaging parts mounted pivotally relative to one another and defining slots for securing screws.

9. A housing as recited in claim 1 adapted to receive a face plate mounted on said cigarette dispenser insert, said face plate having two lateral jaws adapted to be inserted in notches formed in both housing sections.

10. A housing as recited in claim 1 having said two housing sections made of plastics material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,487,537 11/1949 Gantner 3 l2-246 X 2,897,034 7/1959 Kalen 312-327 2,939,575 6/1960 Tarara 3l2--204 X 3,352,614 11/1963 Anderson 31.242

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. BOBBY R. GAY, Examiner. 

